Simon Dickie

Simon Dickie, born on March thirty-first, nineteen fifty-one, in Waverley, Taranaki, New Zealand, is a celebrated rowing coxswain who has made a significant mark in the world of competitive rowing. His journey began at Wanganui Collegiate School, where he was an integral part of the Maadi Cup winning crews from nineteen sixty-six to nineteen sixty-eight. At just seventeen, he found himself in the spotlight during the 1968 Summer Olympics, serving as a cox for New Zealand's reserve crew.

During the Olympic preparations in Christchurch, tensions arose among the reserve rowers, who felt they could compete effectively as a coxed four. Their determination paid off, and New Zealand entered both the coxed four and the eight. Dickie led his crew to victory in the coxed four event, securing New Zealand's first gold medal in rowing, a remarkable achievement for a schoolboy who had stepped in to replace a cox who tragically lost his life in a training accident.

In the following years, Dickie continued to excel, joining the eight for the 1971 rowing season. This crew, which included notable rowers such as Dick Joyce and Tony Hurt, triumphed at the 1971 European Rowing Championships, defeating the favored East German team. The same crew went on to compete in the 1972 Olympics, where they again clinched gold. Dickie's prowess as a coxswain was further demonstrated at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where he guided the eight to a bronze medal.

With two Olympic gold medals to his name, Simon Dickie stands among the elite fifteen New Zealanders who have achieved such a feat. After his illustrious rowing career, he transitioned into entrepreneurship, owning an adventure company in Taupō, showcasing his adventurous spirit beyond the rowing waters.